The article “Dynamic Characters with Communication Disorders in Children’s
Literature” focuses on the careful selection of the literature concerning
characters with different communication disorders in children’s literature
and its integration into the modern curriculum. Obviously the authors of the
article are very concerned about this problem since they underline that the
implementation of such books is quite helpful in culturally diverse classroom
which are getting to be more tolerant and inclusive.
Basically, the authors have created the list of modern children’s books
in which main characters have some communication disorders but are actively
involved in the plot and play an important role in the story, being actually
fully integrated in their social surrounding. The fact that the characters are
dynamic and actively participate in important events of the selected stories
is very important since these characters provide students with positive models
due to the presence of dynamic characters with communication disorders and supportive
characters who do not have such problems. Also this literature helps promote
mutual understanding in culturally diverse population. At the same time, the
authors provide suggestions for integration of the selected books with curriculum
and recommendations to their application.
Obviously, the recommendations given in the article and the selection of such
literature is extremely important since they provide the possibility for teachers
to be more careful in selection of books within curriculum. Moreover, often
teachers have some difficulties while dealing with such important problems as
integration and inclusion of children from different social and cultural backgrounds
within the classroom. At the same time, children who can identify themselves
with either characters with disorders or with characters without disability
develop positive views since, on the one hand, the position of children with
disabilities seems to be not so desperate, while children without disabilities
learn the positive models of behavior. Moreover, this literature helps better
cooperate students whose language skills are at different levels, or who are
from different backgrounds.
Anyway, this article suggests an efficient way to promote inclusive and integrating
policy which is so important nowadays in the modern, extremely diverse society.
Bibliography:
1. Sotto, Carolyn D. and Angel L. Ball. “Dynamic Characters with Communication
Disorders in Children’s Literature”, Intervention in Schools and
Clinic, 42 vol. 40-5, Sep. 2006
